Meta enters enterprise AI race with new business agent

Meta Platforms launched a new AI-powered Business Agent at its WhatsApp-focused Conversations conference in London, targeting businesses for enterprise-level automation. The tool expands on existing chatbot services by enabling agentic capabilities, such as booking appointments, closing sales, and processing payments—going beyond traditional rule-based bots. Over 1 million businesses already use Meta’s chatbot versions on WhatsApp and Messenger, with the new agent now available on Instagram and rolling out globally to businesses of all sizes. The Business Agent can be customized to reflect a company’s tone, handling tasks like answering FAQs, qualifying leads, and escalating complex queries to human staff. Meta plans to offer the tool for free initially, with paid subscription options introduced later. The company also unveiled a broader Business Agent Platform, allowing businesses to build custom AI agents for operations outside Meta’s apps, with integrations for systems like Shopify, Zendesk, and Shopee. Meta’s move signals its ambition to compete with rivals such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google in the enterprise AI market, leveraging its social media platforms to attract businesses. Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, emphasized the enterprise focus, stating that the company aims to consolidate workflows for businesses, including ads and customer support. A new Enterprise Solutions team will deploy engineers to work directly with customers, mirroring strategies used by companies like Anthropic. The announcement follows Meta’s recent restructuring around AI and comes amid challenges, including a security lapse where hackers exploited its AI support chatbot to gain access to high-profile Instagram accounts. Gleit acknowledged the risks of integrating AI agents into business systems but noted the company is investigating the incident. Meta’s broader goal is to unify its AI tools—including internal workflows, customer support, and ads—into a single platform for businesses. The Business Agent Platform also provides enterprise-grade controls, guardrails, and measurement tools for larger businesses. Gleit highlighted demand from small businesses for a unified solution, stressing the need for modularity and rapid adaptation as AI technology evolves. Meta’s push into enterprise AI reflects its strategy to diversify revenue beyond ads while deepening its integration into business operations.